Ownership:
- How long has your company been in business?
(Our firm has been in business since 1925.) - Who owns your funeral and cremation service centre?
(The McGarry Family of Ottawa) - Do you have your own crematorium, or do you sub-contract?
(Yes, we do own our own crematorium.) - Can our family count on proceeds remaining in Canada, indeed Ottawa/Gatineau?
(You can count on Hulse, Playfair & McGarry to keep the local community interests in mind.)
Options:
- What options do I have if I choose cremation?
- Do I have to bury the cremated remains (ashes) in a cemetery? What other options do I have? Can the cremated remains be scattered?
- Is your crematorium family friendly, or is it in an industrial setting?
- Can we escort the human remains to the crematorium?
- What legal obligations do I have if I choose cremation? What must I do with the cremated remains (ashes)?
- What legal documents can I expect to receive from the funeral home?
- What is the difference of a casket and a cremation container?
- Do I need a casket, or, can I use a cremation container? Can I rent a casket?
- Do you have urns? Do I have to use an urn?
- How will I know if you cremate the right remains?
- What is visitation or viewing?
- What is the difference between a traditional visitation and a memorial visitation?
- Can I display photos or other family keepsakes during visitation?
- Do you offer DVD/photo presentation for the visitation?
- What is a funeral service or ceremony?
- What is the difference between a memorial service and a traditional service?
- What ceremony options can I consider?
- We don't go to church; can you help us with a clergyperson or officiant?
- What about a newspaper announcement? Who places it? What about out of town papers?
- Does the body have to be embalmed?
- If the deceased chooses to donate organs, can a visitation and/or ceremony still be accomplished?
- What happens if the deceased chooses to donate the body to science? Can the family still have a ceremony?
- Do you have associates across Canada?
- Can you help me if we have a death outside Canada?
- Are you able to ship human remains out/in from another country?
- What happens if a death occurs on a holiday or week-end?
Prices:
- What services are included in the quoted price?
- What are not included in the quoted price?
- In your traditional service, does it include: register book, register, hairdressing and reception facilities? How many proofs of death certificate do you provide? (Some funeral homes might quote you a low figure; after including all the above costs would be much higher.).
- Is cremation included? If not, how much is your cremation fee, including taxes?
Funeral Planning Meeting:
- Do I have to go to the funeral home or cremation centre to complete arrangements? Will you come to our house for arrangements?
- Do I have to make payment in advance?
- Can I pay with Visa / MasterCard?
Staff:
- Is there 24/7 access to funeral and cremation service staff?
- Are you a licensed funeral director by the Ontario Board of Funeral Service?
- Are your cremation technicians certified?
- Who transfers human remains to your funeral home and to the crematorium, your own staff or a sub-contractor?
- Who prepares the human remains for your funeral home?
- Is your staff knowledgeable with all religious, ethnic, cultural funeral rights and traditions?
- Does your funeral home and staff contribute to the community?
- Do you have a multilingual staff?
Facilities:
- Are you open everyday of the year, including weekends and public holidays?
- Do you have parking? How large is the parking lot?
- How many locations do you have?
- Do you have a designated chapel?
- Do you have after-service reception facilities? Is there a fee?
- Is your reception centre also used as visitation parlour, or is it a designated area?
Preplanning:
- Is there any cost just to preplan a funeral?
- What prepayment options do I have if I decide to prepay my funeral?
- What costs are not provided when prefunding?
- If I move, can I transfer my arrangements?
- Can I transfer my prearrangement to your firm from a funeral home which has been sold?
- Do you offer information seminars to the public?
Continual care:
- Do you have an after-care program?
- Do you have self-help resources (books, video and audio information)?
For more information, please also visit our Frequently Asked Questions.